from the economist: the end of a language

BEYOND the town of Cordova, on Prince William Sound in south-eastern Alaska, the Copper River delta branches out in silt and swamp into the gulf. Marie Smith, growing up there, knew there was a particular word in Eyak, her language, for the silky, gummy mud that squished between her toes. It was c'a. The driftwood she found on the shore, 'u'l, acquired a different name if it had a proper shape and was not a broken, tangled mass. If she got lost among the flat, winding creeks her panicky thoughts were not of north, south, east or west, but of “upriver”, “downstream”, and the tribes, Eskimo and Tlingit, who lived on either side. And if they asked her name it was not Marie but Udachkuqax*a'a'ch, “a sound that calls people from afar”.
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As a child she had longed to be a pilot, flying boat-planes between the islands of the Sound. An impossible dream, she was told, because she was a girl. As an old woman, she said she believed that Eyak might be resurrected in future. Just as impossible, scoffed the experts: in an age where perhaps half the planet's languages will disappear over the next century, killed by urban migration or the internet or the triumphal march of English, Eyak has no chance. For Mrs Smith, however, the death of Eyak meant the not-to-be-imagined disappearance of the world.

for pinner123

Confidence in Me - from the Sound of Music.

as the video clip suggests! why not sing along!

(i know excessor will!)

growth

"But still. Still bless me anyway. I want more life. I can't help myself. I do. I've lived through such terrible times and there are people who live through much worse. But you see them living anyway. When they're more spirit than body, more sores than skin, when they're burned and in agony, when flies lay eggs in the corners of the eyes of their children - they live. Death usually has to take life away. I don't know if that's just the animal. I don't know if it's not braver to die, but I recognize the habit; the addiction to being alive. So we live past hope. If I can find hope anywhere, that's it, that's the best I can do. It's so much not enough. It's so inadequate. But still bless me anyway. I want more life."
- Prior Walter - Angels in America

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When I moved into this apartment when Rick ended our relationship a year ago - a friend came over shortly after. He said he was sorry that things with Rick didn't work out how I'd hoped they would. and he gifted me a small plant. He said it was a cutting off of a plant a friend had gifted him after a particularly difficult breakup. He said the lesson was - by the time a year had passed this plant (and I) will still be flourishing - but more importantly - growing.

Today is a year since the plant started growing here in the windowsill. It has been a daily reminder of how I'm growing - making it through what is probably one of the most difficult times in my life - and how I can learn from it - and make new things happen for myself - and how to let go of things that didn't really exist in the first place.

Pete quirkstreet spoke up in a comment on my journal that this has been the year for personal growth for me - so it was nice to see the sentiment delivered into my life last February being so noticeable. Here's to more growth.

art, etc.

My friend John Gatto - showed me some new prints of his drawings tonight. I bought four of them.
( pictures behind a cut )

and yes :) I have his permission to take photos of his work and post them on my blog for discussion. I love having such talented friends - and his art will go beautifully in my home with the works of bitterlawngnome and pictures of some of you and some of my other stuff. I'm excited to see it all framed.

If you liked these pieces - the prints average in price from $30-50 - - so they are really VERY reasonable. So if you'd like to see more - - let me know and I'll get you Jon's contact info.

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In other new - it was a breathtakingly magical and sunny day in San Francisco today. Katey and I were outside for almost all of it. We went and visited Jeffery retired101 for Saturday morning cartoons, then took a long stroll into the Castro, and ended up having lunch with the neighbors. On the way back from lunch - I picked myself up some red tulips from the flower guy on Noe - then came back here for a nap before meeting a friend for a very invigorating play date. (woof!) Then off to dinner with Jon Gatto and his partner Paul - we shared pizza and a showing of "Immortal Beloved" starring Gary Oldman. (amazing film!!)

Now I'm home getting ready to head to bed... Miss Kate and I are in for snuggle time.

Woof!³